The present invention generally relates to firearms, and more particularly to a slide catch and ejector assembly for autoloading pistols.
Subcompact firearms, such as semiautomatic autoloading pistols for concealed carry applications, present numerous design challenges due to the need to provide essentially the same functionality as full-size pistols, but in a relatively small physical package. Some subcompact pistols may have typical lengths between about 5-6 inches and weigh less than one pound in contrast to their longer and heavier full-size counterparts. Accordingly, it is desirable to minimize size and weight of these subcompact pistols to facilitate concealed carry by keeping the number of components required for a fully-functional pistol to minimum without sacrificing functionality and safety. Therefore, efficient use of limited available space which is at a premium is essential to providing lightweight and compact pistols suitable for concealed carry.
According to another aspect of full-size autoloading pistols, slide catch or hold mechanisms for holding the slide in an open position are known to facilitate inspection of the breech area of the pistol. Accordingly, a slide catch is desired that can be spatially and efficiently accommodated in the limited space available in a subcompact pistol format.